Watch Him As He Goes
by SkywardShadow
Summary: The thoughts of Yugi, Atem and their friends as Atem enters the afterlife. Songfic, sorta.


Disclaimer: If I owned Yu-Gi-Oh, Thief King Bakura would have been allowed to enter the afterlife. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, or the song "There Goes My Hero".

**A/N:****WARNING! DO NOT read this fic unless you have finished the series Yu-Gi-Oh.**** The song used is by Foo Fighters. This is my first songfic, so…Hope you enjoy. **

_**Watch Him As He Goes**_

_Too alarming now to talk about_

_take your pictures down and shake it out_

**Yugi**

This was it.

A few more precious moments and then Atem, the Pharaoh, his other half, would leave this world forever.

Yugi remembered what felt like lifetimes ago, when he'd found that old gold box in his grandpa's shop. One look at the scattered gold pieces sparkling within and he knew it was special. He knew that no matter how long it took, he would finish the puzzle.

And he did.

The Millennium Puzzle had brought a lot into the life of the once timid Yugi Mutou. It had brought him friends. It had brought him courage, adventure, and maybe a larger dose of danger than was healthy. (Okay, a _much_ bigger dose of danger than was healthy.)

But above all, it had brought him his 'other self.'

They had been through a lot together. Games with lives and souls at stake. Fierce battles over shadows and power, against foes and sometimes friends, against dragons and darkness and evil Egyptian Gods.

And in one way or another, all of it had led up to this one heartbreaking, bittersweet moment.

Looking back, a tiny piece of Yugi's mind had to wonder-had it been worth it? The pain they were certainly all feeling right now?

Yugi watched as Atem strode calmly into the ancient light, and he smiled.

Of course it had been worth it. And he would do it all over again.

Even if it ended like this, in tears.

_Truth or consequence, say it aloud_

_Use that evidence, race it around_

**Jonouchi**

"_Yugi, is it really okay if I take this money?"_  
For whatever reason, that was the one memory that stood out to Katsuya Jonouchi as he watched his best friend-well, _one_ of his best friends-walk towards the doorway that would separate them forever.

Yugi-_Atem,_ Jonouchi reminded himself for the hundredth time-had done so much for him. He'd helped save Shizuka's sight at Duelist Kingdom, saved Mai's soul at Battle City.

But most of all, he'd saved Jonouchi. Jonouchi, who had hated himself for so long. Jonouchi, who'd still be getting into all kinds of trouble-mostly the violent kind-if Yugi and Atem hadn't stood up for him and called him a friend.

He watched, smiling, as Atem entered the light.

_Don't worry, Yu-Atem,_ Jonouchi thought. _I meant what I said. Even if a thousand years pass, we'll always be friends._

_Always, you got that?!_

_There goes my hero_

_Watch him as he goes_

**Anzu**

Tears streamed down her face, and her heart was shattering, but Anzu Mazaki kept smiling.

She knew that this was for the best, that it was Atem's time to go. But it still hurt.

Put simply, Anzu loved Atem. She had loved him since the first time she heard his voice. Since meeting him face-to-face, she had always hoped that she would eventually get the chance to tell him how she really felt. And find out if he felt the same.

But that would never happen now.

She would never see him, ever again.

Anzu straightened as the ethereal light flared. Atem was leaving them.

And even though a heartbroken part of her mind whispered, _"Why?"_, Anzu dried her eyes and watched bravely as the man she loved disappeared forever.

Because this is for the best.

_There goes my hero_

_He's ordinary_

**Honda**

_I won't cry. I refuse. I __**will not**__ cry._

This was the most bittersweet moment of Hiroto Honda's life; he was sure that the same was true for all the others witnessing the almost unreal event unfolding.

The Pharaoh was leaving. The 'other Yugi' who had been such a great friend to those close to him, and a fierce enemy to those who threatened those friends.

_Atem._ The name was still unfamiliar to Honda. He was used to 'Yugi' or 'the other Yugi' or even 'the nameless Pharaoh', but he just wasn't ready to call him by his real name. He wasn't ready to sever the last bond between the ancient king and the rest of them. Calling the Pharaoh 'the other Yugi' labeled him as their friend. It tied them together. It gave him a reason, however small, to feel he belonged with the group.

But was that selfishness on Honda's part? Did he have any right to take away the Pharaoh's own identity, forcing him to share someone else's, just to keep them together? He knew the answers. Yes to the former, no to the latter.

Not that it mattered anymore. Soon-too soon-their friend would leave them. And he would be greatly missed.

Honda took a deep breath to steady himself as the tears began to spill.

_Good luck in the next life….Atem._

_Don't the best of them bleed it out_

_While the rest of them peter out_

**Ryo**

Ryo Bakura had mixed feelings about this moment.

On the one hand, he was terribly sad that the Pharaoh-Atem-was leaving. Atem had considered Ryo a friend, fought for him and cared about what happened to him, and Ryo would never forget that.

But on the other hand, he guiltily admitted to himself that he was a bit relieved. Not about his friend moving on, of course, but that all this craziness was finally ending.

Ryo had good reason to be wary of the Millennium Items and all the mystical, magical, shadowy havoc they wreaked. The spirit contained in the Millennium Ring had ruined a good portion of his life, almost ending that life in several cases. He kind of looked forward to a normal life where he didn't live in constant fear.

_But,_ he reminded himself, _who was it who fought to destroy the Spirit of the Millennium Ring? Who was it who freed you? It was Atem and the others._

Ryo sighed sadly as he watched the Pharaoh's back, fading into the brilliant golden light. _We'll miss you._

_Truth or consequence, say it aloud_

_Use that evidence, race it around_

**Ryuji**

_So this is how it ends._

Ryuji Otogi sighed. He didn't understand all this mystical ancient Egyptian stuff; he'd have to ask the other to explain it someday. Or maybe he didn't really want to know. Whatever. What he _did_ understand was that a friend and rival was about to vanish.

He hadn't really liked Yugi at first (or Atem, as everyone was now calling him). In fact, he'd hated him for what his grandfather did to Ryuji's own father. But did that even have anything to do with Atem?

Ryuji didn't even know anymore; he was so confused. But anyway. Atem/Yugi had become friends with him, despite all the trouble he'd caused. They'd accepted him, and Ryuji appreciated that.

What else was there to say? He grinned at his rival and friend a final time.

_See you, Atem, King of Games._

_There goes my hero_

_Watch him as he goes_

**Marik**

Hatred. Revenge. Blame.

Those were the words that Marik Ishtar had come to associate with the Pharaoh.

Marik had hated him for so long, believing that the Pharaoh had killed his father, knowing that he was the reason the Tomb Guardians had lived in darkness.

But even after Marik had hurt the Pharaoh, hurt his friends, forced him into a vicious death match with his best friend, and in the end almost killed them all, he had tried to save Marik's life.

His unworthy life.

They had released him from the darkness that caged him for all of his life, and given him the power and the hope to start a new life in light. They had forgiven him for everything without hesitation, given him his first real friends.

And now the heart of it all, the beginning and the end of Marik's mad quest to become the king and have his revenge, the Pharaoh, was about to disappear from this world.

_How ironic,_ he thought wryly, _the man whom they called a King of Shadows making his final exit via the light._

In the end, Marik concluded, he had been wrong about pretty much everything. And it was the one man he had hated more than any other who helped him to see that. The Pharaoh had broken his chains at last.

Marik owed the king a debt he could never repay.

Unexpected sadness shuddered through the teen as the King of Games was enveloped in unearthly light.

_Sayonara, Pharaoh. And thank you._

_There goes my hero_

_He's ordinary_

**Ishizu**

_The souls of all mortals have a place to return to. The Pharaoh's too._

Ishizu Ishtar's own words of what seemed like long ago echoed almost painfully in her ears. Even without the faded power of the future-seeing Millennium Tauk, the Egyptian woman had had a feeling that the Pharaoh could not remain in this world much longer.

And she had been right.

The atmosphere in the room was so heavy with sadness and memories, Ishizu felt like she might bend in half at any given time.

But she wasn't too sad. Mostly she felt calm. At peace. What had to be done had been done-the battles, the God Cards, Marik's evil side, the finding of the Pharaoh's true name, the Rite of the Duel-and the Pharaoh had truly fulfilled his destiny.

Ishizu would be eternally grateful to all of them, but especially the Pharaoh, for saving her brother's life.

She bowed her head as Atem crossed over into the afterlife.

_Kudos my hero, leaving all the best_

_You know my hero, the one that's on_

**Atem**

This was it.

Atem had faced monsters, dragons, shadows, a sadistic thief, death games, evil gods, vicious rivals, being the Pharaoh of an ancient land, and much more-but this was easily the scariest thing he had ever faced.

And his friends couldn't be with him this time.

No; they had helped him get this far. He never could have won all those battles without them. Now he had to be strong.

But as much as the Pharaoh hated to admit it he was scared.

More accurately, he was beyond terrified.

What waited beyond the blindingly bright light?

How easy it would be to turn back, to return to sharing the body and life of his partner. To stay with his friends forever.

But he knew he couldn't do that. Somehow, he knew that every fight of his long life had led up to this one life-and-death-shattering moment. This one sad, wonderful moment. He could feel the strength of his friends pouring into him, encouraging him, pushing him onward.

Atem breathed deeply and took the final step forward, flashing those gathered behind him a thumbs-up.

_Partner…friends…..thank you._

The light surrounded him, beckoning. He could feel his clothing, his hair, his very soul changing, from a copy of Yugi Mutou to himself, a proud king.

The priests, his father, and even one slyly grinning thief were waiting for him.

He was no longer the "other Yugi", a ghost, a half-self. He was Atem, the Pharaoh, the King of Games.

And now he was free.

_There goes my hero, watch him as he goes_

_There goes my hero, he's ordinary._

_There goes my hero,_

_watch him as he goes_

_There goes my hero,_

_he's ordinary_

**The End,**

**The Beginning.**

**A/N: I hope you liked it. :) Reviews are the highlight of my day and much appreciated, but don't feel like you have to. Arigato for taking the time to read. -SS**


End file.
